WHEREAS, Tenants who report housing code violations to the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L & I) are increasingly being evicted from their homes; and
WHEREAS, Instead of abating the violation and placing a lien on the property for repayment, L & I has been issuing more Cease and Desist orders which prevent the owner from renting the property while the violation is outstanding. However, abatement of these violations not only avoids injury or displacement of occupants due to dangerous conditions, but also serves as an incentive to solvent landlords who otherwise would not invest their money in costly repairs; and
WHEREAS, When a rental property is under a Cease and Desist order, the tenants are required to vacate the property immediately, without the due process afforded under Landlord-Tenant law and sometimes without any advance notice; and
WHEREAS, Fear of imminent eviction can have a chilling effect on tenants making appropriate reports of housing code violations to the Department of Licenses and Inspections; and
WHEREAS, Cease and Desist Orders contribute to the gentrification of communities by forcibly relocating existing tenants so the property can be sold and re-occupied by higher income tenants; and
WHEREAS, Mortgage companies with rental properties in foreclosure have benefited from the Cease and Desist Order process which empties buildings without the time and expense of the post sheriff sale ejectment process, usually at the expense of the City which tries to provide shelter and relocation services to homeless tenants,
now therefore
,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,
That it hereby authorizes Council's Committee on Licenses and Inspection to hold hearings on the impact of L & I Inspections on tenant evictions.
End